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It was March 18 in Miami when, in a WBC quarterfinal matchup between the United States and Venezuela, USA reliever Daniel Bard unleashed a high pitch that struck Venezuelan batter Jose Altuve in the right hand. That errant pitch would send Altuve out of the game and force the All-Star second baseman to the injured list with a broken hand.
Altuve made his season debut on May 19, strengthening the lineup for the defending World Champion Astros. He will likely be in the lineup when Houston welcomes Colorado into Minute Maid Park for a two-game set starting on the Fourth of July. The day is, of course, ironic as Astros fans are expected to cause plenty of fireworks if Bard enters the game
in a late-inning pressure situation.
Expect the boos to be loud for the Rockies reliever, who started on the season on the injured list as well while dealing with anxiety. The issues for Bard were showing that night when he hit Altuve. Bard faced four Venezuelan batters that night. He gave up a hit, walked two, plunked Altuve, and uncorked two wild pitches while never recording an out.